The Marks of Time V

Springtime in the Gorbals:

I happened to be passing the Rose Garden (former burial ground) in the Gorbals last week and was intrigued to see a group of people gathered in the orchard 

They were a group of local people who have been tending the 'Public Orchard' in the park - getting together to plan maintenance etc for the coming growing season. The Public Orchard was one of the 'Integral' artworks commissioned as part of the public art programme which accompanied the recent wholescale re-building programme in the area. 

Public Orchard is the work of Amanda Currie - Amanda's intent was to create something that would provide an ongoing focus for communal activity....great to see that still happening 8 years down the line. Also brilliant to see how the fruit trees have prospered - there was more than one 'voice of doom' telling us how mad we were planting young trees in a public space in the Gorbals....

Above are a couple of snaps of Cultivated Wilderness a work in the same park that I made in collaboration with Sans façon this project comprises a 120m double line of stainless steel trellises which weave around the remains of a 19th century wall. There is a random mix of native hedgerow trees planted between the trellises which have the dual function of making a wildlife corridor and a boundary between the new housing and the public park. There is more info on this project on my website (under the Urban menu)